Lawn sprinkler



1954 D. L. SPENDER ET AL 2,693,390

LAWN SPRINKLER Filed Sept. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS' Donald L. Spender Edward H.B1Issett NOV. 2, 1954 SPENDER ETAL 2,693,390

'. LAWN SPRINKLER Filed Sept 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi .3, H 4

mvsmons Donald L. Spender 42 3 Edward H.Bclssett United States Patent ()1 LAWN SPRINKLER Donald L; Spender, Wolcott, and Edward H. Bassett, ,West Hartford, Conn., assiguors to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut I A Application September 4, 1951, Serial No. 244,902

Claims. (Cl. 299-48) This invention relates to sprinklers for watering lawns,

gardens or the like, and especially to sprinklers of the type where the water discharging members or nozzles are continuously moved about a horizontal axis as distinguished from that class where the arms or nozzles are spun about a vertical axis.

'It is-an object of this invention to prov de an improved sprinkler having power-driven discharging nozzles ar ranged in a horizontal position for more uniformly sprinkling a square or rectangular area of a lawn. Heretofore, sprinklers of this general character have been of the oscillatory type in which the discharging nozzles .are operated by a crank connecting with a rotating member resulting in a harmonic oscillatory motion which would always produce a long dwell at the opposite. ends of the oscillatory stroke and resulting in a greater dispersion of water at the end of the sprinkled area than at the middle. 7 This unwanted condition is overcome by our invention that has forone of its objects the operation of a horizontal discharge nozzle in a continuous rotary unidirectional motion about its longitudinal axis and having the water ejected periodically from the successive discharge nozzle orifices arranged about the nozzle when said'orifices are passing through the upper arc of their rotation.

Another object is to provide a driven sprinkler of the above character in which the horizontal discharge nozzle is provided with a series of longitudinal rows of discharge orifices arranged about the nozzle and in which the water supply to each of the separate rows is indiv dually controlled so that there will result in the continuously rotating ,IlOZZl a recurrent spray uniformly advancing always in one direction from one extremity of the pattern to the other and preferably through an arc of less than 180.

Another object of this invention is to throttle the water flow to the separate rows of the discharge orifices as the rotating discharge orifices approach and leave the uppermost vertical position of their discharge so as to cut the fluid dispersion in the area of the center plane of the sprinkler.

Another ob ect is to selectively throttle the flow of water to the power wheel without changing the wheel velocity for the purpose of cutting down on the area to be sprinkled.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sprinkler as it appears in operation. "Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the sprinkler on an enlarged scale, the view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2, with the right half of the casing removed.

Fig. 4 is another transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, with the right half of the casing removed.

' Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the discharge arm, the view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

v Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the 1ine6--6ofFig.'2.

F3. 7 is aperspective exploded'view of the selective by screws 16a.

Patented Nov. 2, 1954 2 volume control valve at the entrance of the sprinkler housing.

Fig. 8' is an end view of the control valve with its operating spider. I

Fig. 9 is an end view of the volume control unit removed from the casing, and,

. Fig. .10 is a side view of a portion of the nozzle carrying hub member.

. Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numeralsdenote like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers generally to a hollow casing formed of two companion parts, a right section 11 and a left section 12, the parts being secured together to form the casing as by screws 13. The casing 10 is supported on a pedestal or stand 14 which is preferably of the sledtype to permit the sprinkler to be drawn over the area to be sprinkled. Water is directed into the casing through a volume-control unit 15 the details of which will be more fully explained later. This unit 15 is in the form of an elbow housing 16 secured to the right casing 11' as The opposite end of the housing 16 is provided with a swivel nut 17 to which suitable connection may be made to a supply hose (not shown). The elbow housing 16, as best shown in Fig. 2, is attached to the right casing section 11 in line with an embossed part 11a within which embossed part is provided a port 18 biased to the axis of the control unit 15 so as to direct the water against the fins 19 of a waterwheel 20 posi-' tioned in the lower part of the casing 10.

The waterwheel 20 is mounted on the extension 21a of a worm pinion 21 by a drive fit so that the two parts' will act as a unit. The waterwheel 2'0 and worm pinion 21 as a unit are rotatively mounted on a vertical spindle 22 projecting upwardly from the base of the left housing 12 and supported thereon by a thrust ball bearing 23. The worm pinion 21 drives a wormwheel 24 secured on a sleeve member 25 which in turn is freely rotatable on a horizontal axle shaft 26. The axle shaft 26 has its opposite ends suitably supported in projecting bosses 11b and 12b formed respectively on the inside of the right and left casing sections 11 and 12. Also rigidly mounted upon the sleeve member 25 is a pinion gear 27 which in turn meshes with a large drive gear 28 for operating a relatively large hub 29 horizontally supported in the casing 10. Specifically the gear 28 is force-fitted upon an enlarged section 30 of the hub 29 against a stop flange 31. The hub 29 is rotatably mounted in embossed bearings 11c and 120 formed as a part of the right and left casing sections 11 and 12 and held against endwise move ment within the housing 10 as by means offianges 29a formed as an integral part thereof and positioned adjacent the inner faces of the bearings 11c and 12c. The opposite ends of the hub 29 have rotatable engagement within the bearings 11c and 12c and are there suitably sealed as by sealing rings 32.

The fluid passing through the housing 10 is discharged through suitable nozzle units 33 attached to the opposite ends of the hub 29. These nozzle units are both alike and it is considered sufficient to describe only one. Each. unit consists of a core 34 and a tubular shell 35 telescoped thereover and held in position thereon by means of an end cap 36. The core 34, shell 35 and end cap 36 as a unit are detachably secured to the end of the hub 29 as by an attaching screw 37.

As best shown in Fig. 5 each of the cores 34 is provided with four longitudinal grooves 38 which are preferably U-shaped in cross section and extend the entire length of the core. The tubular shell 35 is formed with longitudinal rows of serrated-like formations 39 which increase in angularity from their inner end to their outer end and each of these serrations is provided with a discharge orifice 40. These serrations as noted in Fig. 5 extend downthe holes 41, and it is through these ports that water 1.) is'directed from the interior of the casing to the discharge nozzle'units33. The fluid thatpasses" through the casing is directed periodically into the interior of the hub 29 through a cam-controlled valve mechanism which is best 'showniin Fig.- 4. .Thisunitconsists of four-levers 44 each of which is fitted into slot 42a and pivotally corrnecteddo teach cornerv of: the squared-section z42 'as by a pivot pin 45. To one of the ends is hingedly attached a closnrewalve '46. xvhich when inz closed position serves to close off its respective portx43'... The=oppositei end of each lever 44. is'provided" with a earn follower1-47 adapted to engage against the arcuate face 48a of' a :cam: member til-secured: to supporting bosses'12d formed on the interior of/thc' lefticasing 12 asby -screws 49. The levers 44 are normally: tensioned in a clockwise. direction .asby springs 50 located in slots: 42b insquared sectionAZ-andthere held inlposition by thepivotpins 45 and tensioned against the :adjacent face-:ofrthe hub 29 and the. edge: of the lovers 44 Volume control unit A.-more: detailed description of. thevolume control unit Jis. now. given. The construction of. this-unit-isbest shown in Figs, 2,. 6, 7 and 8. The elbow housing 16 of this .unitpreviously referred to has an integral hub portion 51 in which is pivotally mounted a stud shatt-52 and having sealing engagement. therewith as by any suitable sealin'gn'ing 53'." The outer .end of :the stud shaft 52 is provided with an operating knob 54 held in place by a cap :nut 551! To the opposite inner end of the shaft 52 is'riveted a spider member 56 having three radially extending arms .57 see Fig. 7).

The embossed part 11a of the housing 11 to whichthe control unit 15 is attached is provided Iwithfa recess 58 terminating in a conical base 59.. Thi's.conical..base 59 in fact'serves as a valve face with which theport 18. inter.- ceptsr The port 18 is'adapted to be closed off by. valve member. 60 consisting of a conical. shaped head. 61 com-v pletn'ental to the conical base: 59 and extending from .the opposite wall of'the valve member as a cylindrical sleeve 62 intercepted by three equally spaced slots .63... Thehead 61- ofxthe. valve member 60 -is.provided..with'threejet orifices, a .large one 64, :an intermediate one 65 anda small one 66. These orifices are all biased .to .the:axis.of the valve member 60 andarranged to -be. coincident with the axis of the port 18 upon the proper adjustment of the operating knob 54. The valve member 60 'ispreferably held Within the recess 58 to permit someamount of floating. This-is accomplished by reason of the. fact. that the. elbow housing 116 is'formed with an. integral. sleeve 67'v that telescopically fits into the recessSS and is of a length to remain just shortof contacting with. the valve member 60- in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and. 6.. The .valve member 60 is adapted to. be turned to selectively. register any one of:the three jetorifices 64, .65 and66, with..the. port 18 through the connection of the spider member 56 having its radial'arms 57 engaging in the slots 63.0ft'he. valve= sleeve 62.

In orderto predeterminethe size of the area ton-be sprinkled the operating knob 54 is provideclwithindicia such as20, .30 and 45,.representing thesizeofith area-in. feertoz-he'z'sprinkled and these indicia .may be turnednto. line up-Withan indicator arrow 68 provided .on the: end

of an extension 69 formed as an integralpartofi.theelbow housing 16." The turningofthe knob 54 .to align tan. in'dicium'with the indicator arrow will bring the desired jet orificeof the valve member 60 in' alignment with the port 18.

Also if it is desired to modulate-the amount of fiuid dispensed from the discharging orifices 40 of the. nozzles- 33 cluringgtheirperiod of operation, this can be readily. accomplished .bythe particular shaping of the. cam. sur-. face'48a 'of' eamx48. As for instance, the dispersion couldbe cutdo'wn when the discharging row of. orifices;

are' passingthrough the. mid portion of theinrespective discharging period by"pr oviding a slight arcuate cutout. inithe' cam-face as illGlCEliEd' at..48b (see Fig.,.4).

Operation When it isdesired 'tooperate; the sprinkler itwill-fir'st be connectedto theen'd of a supplyihose by the swivel nut 17. Next; the size Of-the. area .to be. sprinkled .Will be judged and a proper setting made of the controltknob 54' inZ-accordance withthe larger, intermediate-or smaller. area tobe' covered: Wh'enth'e'Water is'turned on it will all fill the control unit 15 and pass through the selected jet orifice 64/65 or 66 in the valve head 61 depending on the size of the area to be sprinkled and thence through the port 18 and impinge against the fins of the Waterwheel 20 causing the latter to rotate. Rotation of the waterwheel 20 will impart a relatively ;slow continuous rotation to the hub 29 through the worm' gears 21 and 24 and the spur gears 27 and 285 The nozzle units 33 being attached to the hub 29 will, ot' course,=- rotate in a continuous direction with said. hub. It Willbe understood that streams of waterwill be. forced throughz'the rows of dischargeorificesdtl only when they turn through an are above the horizontal planev coincident with the nozzle axis. This intermittent discharge of water from the'individual rows of orificesis controlled by the closure valves 46 cooperating with the intake ports 43 in the squared section 42 of hub 29'. The proper/ time sequence is controlled by the valves 46 being operated only =when the. cam :followers 472 on the1 leversz44t wipe against the arcuatef face.48aof.- the: carmmemberAS. It istobemnderstoodthat the-lengtlmof the.cam;rnember 481 and the relative position'and construction of'theport valve -levers :44 are' suchthat: each" succeeding row of orifices will start a jet delivery before thepreceding row of nozzle: orificesiceasetheirjet' delivery in' order-to maintain continuoustfiowvofil water: into and throughzthecasingand insure. tuninterrupted operation-10f. the waterwheel 2(l1 It is to be'nndersto'od tha't the. speed ofrotation .of the waterwheel 2fi'and dischargeznozzles 33 .are substantially constant throughoutthe -:complete. range setting -.of the area. control-despite theifact that there is a change in size of. theje'taorific'es. to' control; the=area to be sprinkled. The largest jet.orifix:e.64:-will.be selected to alignwith. the port 18.1or the largestarea. as indicated'by 45 onthe hand knob 54, the intermediate orifice65 Willbealignedwith port-18 as determined by the setting-30 on theknob, and thevsmaller. orifice 66 will be aligned with port 18 as determined by the setting 20- onthe knob. These are just arbitrary settingsand itis conceivable that-numerous jet orificescould beprovidedin' the valvehead 61 with a corresponding number of indicia on the knob 54 for a finer selection of area control.

This invention 'is directed primarily to the provision of a sprinkler:aecomplishingthepurposes. of an oscillating sprinkler but differing ina'that a .repeating sheet of-jet sprays is always passing in the same direction across the area being. sprinkled. So far: as is .known this is newin the art ofilawn'sprinklers.- The new results are that there is no: dwell period attheendofthe'sheet of jet sprays such as occurs at the end and. return stroke of oscillating. sprinklers and-deposits anexcessive amount of water at the extreme ends of the area sprinkled and a lesser amount at the intermediatetarear While there is'shown only a single embodiment ofour invention it is to be understood that the invention isnotto be.=limited thereto-butmay comprehend other.constructions includedwithin the. scope and sphere of the. ap-. pended claims.

We claim:

1. A'sprinkler. comprising a hollow casing, a horizontal nozzle rotatably mounted on thecasing, said nozzle having a plurality of discharge orifices, a waterwheel-within the casing, means directing a stream of water against said waterwheeltorotate the same, gear-train means for ro. tating said nozzle. continuously in one direction from said waterwheelat -a reduced speed, valve means rotating with said nozzle. and stationary cam meansfor operating the. valves to admit water only to those orifices whichtare passing-through: their upperarc ofi rotation-.-

2. A sprinkler comprising a hollow casing, a nozzle rotatably mounted -.on the casing, said nozzle having discharge orifices around its periphery, a .waterwheel' withinthe casing, means directing a stream of water against'said waterwheelto rotate thesame; means;transmitting rotary motion ofsthe waterwhe'el :to the nozzle. ata reduced rate of speed, intake ports on said nozzle for receiving fiu'id; from: said casing,. valve- :means carried by said t nozzle, and' -catn'means' in said casing cooperating with said-valve means for operating the valve means to open and close said ports in timed 'seriesduringthe' rotation ob-said nozzle.

3. A sprinkler as defined by claim 2 whereinth means forv directing the Water against the waterwheelconsists of various sizes of jet orifices which may be manually operated to change the character of the stream of water directed against the waterwheel for the purpose of obtaining different sprinkled areas.

4. A sprinkler as defined by claim 2 wherein the cam means can operate to modulate the character of the stream of water discharging from said nozzle.

5. A sprinkler comprising a hollow casing and nozzle member projecting horizontally from the casing and journaled in the wall of said casing for rotating movement around its longitudinal axis, means for admitting water to the casing, power means inside the casing operated by the flow of water therethrough to rotate said nozzle continuously in one direction about its longitudinal axis, said nozzle having a plurality of rows of discharge orifices extending lengthwise thereof, a separate lengthwise passageway communicating with each row of orifices, and valve means inside said casing for selectively controlling communication between said casing and said passageways so as to admit water only to those orifices which are passing through their upper arc of rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 656,104 Fricot Aug. 14, 1900 996,480 Glaser June 27, 1911 1,104,839 Skinner July 28, 1914 1,218,936 Ford Mar. 13, 1917 1,701,066 Elkington Feb. 5, 1929 1,760,903 Henkel June 3, 1930 1,765,939 Roach June 24, 1930 2,532,356 Brown Dec. 5, 1950 

